1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to tool storage and organization devices, and specifically to a storage and organization device that enables a user to selectively group and position tools with and without tool attachments on a mounting board or other mounting device.
2. State of the Art
Tool storage devices of the past include tool boxes and peg boards. Tool boxes have trays and drawers for organizing tools. Some tool boxes are large and form cabinets. Some tool cabinets also include peg boards. However, tool boxes and tool cabinets have lids or doors enclosing the tools. Furthermore, the drawers and compartments are typically stacked in a compact arrangement.
Peg boards, whether in combination with tool boxes or not, typically have a repeating pattern of holes or other mounting structure. The repeating pattern of holes or other structure provides incremental positions at which objects can be supported. Pegs are typically inserted in the holes or the other mounting structure and provide protrusions for engaging tools. Thus, the tools are typically supported at positions that can be incrementally adjusted to discrete positions corresponding to the repeating pattern of holes or other mounting structure.
There are also other various types of tools that include kitchen tools, gardening tools, barbeque tools and office tools. These various tools or utensils require various types of storage devices, such as baskets, drawers, hooks, containers and the like. Each have their own limitations and inconveniences of use. For example, a basket or container that holds kitchen tools can only hold that which fits within the container and is limited also to the height of the container, wherein only tools higher than the depth of the container can be conveniently stored in the container.
One difficulty experienced by households is that many of the same types of utensils, condiments or other kitchen products are needed each time the household sits down to eat or someone starts to cook. Conventionally, these items are stored in various cupboards and drawers, or they are stored on the countertops and table. For those stored in cupboards and drawers, it is necessary to dig through the cupboards and drawers to gather the needed items, requiring additional time to find the needed utensil buried behind or under other items in those cupboards and drawers. For items stored on the countertops and table, it again takes time to gather the needed items into one place where they are to be used. Conventional organizers of kitchen utensils are often unsightly when stored in plain view. Even conventional napkin holders that have a space for silverware in them are limited in that many items stored in the napkin holders get lost down inside the holder or become very difficult to retrieve once placed within the napkin holder.
Additionally, many tools have rounded or curved surfaces such as battery operated screw drivers, flashlights and electric/battery operated hand drills. Conventional tools of this type are manufactured in hard plastic or a non-ferrous metal like aluminum. Attaching devices are typically used to place a tool of this type on any type of storage device. The existing attaching devices are unattractive, bulky, and tend to fall off the storage device, in addition to being difficult to arrange in a neat, orderly, visually pleasing configuration.
Other conventional attachment tools include magnet bars for mounting tools to walls and the like are known. For example, magnet bars having eyelets for receiving screws, nails, or the like are known. These bars may be fastened to a wall or other surface with the aid of screws so that tools or other magnetically attractive items may be held thereon by one or more permanent magnets of the magnet bars. These bars however, are not easily moved or adjusted once they have been installed.
Accordingly, what is needed is a tool organizer system that can easily store tools of various uses in an orderly and efficient manner, without the need for various containers or storage devices, while providing attachment tools that are functional, do not fall, are easily arranged and adjusted as well as visually appealing.